Nature of Morality and Moral Development - Research Paper Example

Task: An interview with three outstanding psychologists, on the topic of moral development Lawrence Kohlberg What is the definition and nature of morality? “Morality” can be applied either descriptively to refer to some codes of conduct advanced by a society or, some other faction, such as a religion, or acknowledged by an individual for their own behavior: or normatively referring to a system of manner that, given specified conditions, would be put forward by all rational persons. The nature of morality can be based around first-order ethics and second-order ethics or the meta-ethics. First-order ethics are declarations of general nature involving the concepts of right and wrong whereas meta-ethics means that particular act are moral or immoral is not the topic rather , the issue is how ethical views can be explained and classified (Kohlberg, 1981). How does morality develop in human life stages? The development of the morality in a human being is a continuous process throughout the life of the particular individual. Level 1: The Pre-Conventional stage. It is characterized by obedience and punishment orientation and lasts between the first and second years of childhood. The child, at this stage helps others when they are upset by offering physical comfort. (How can I evade reprimand?) 2. Self-interest orientation. Between the second and third years, the child starts showing guilt for bad behavior. This may be described as paying for some benefit. Level 2 Conventional: 3. This is the interpersonal accord and conformity and occurs between the age of 3-6 years. Here, actions are motivated in order to gain a reward or to avoid punishment. 4. The authority and social-order sustaining orientation occurs between the ages of 7-10years. Level 3entails the Post-Conventional stage: 5.The social contract orientation occurs between the age of 10-16 years. Here, a person can judge moral dilemmas according to the intentions of the doer. Laws are then taken to be social indentures instead of rigid edicts (Walker, 1989). 6. Worldwide ethical principles (16 Years and above). Children's actions are primarily motivated by what other people in society will think and reasons on the basis of internal values. This is the stage of principled conscience (Kohlberg, 1981). How does morality manifest itself in everyday life? The progress stages happen as a result of the individual's increasing competence, both psychologically and in balancing conflicting social-value claims. The procedure of alleviating conflicting claims to find equilibrium is referred to as "justice operation". The two justice operations: "equality," entails an impartial consideration for persons, and "reciprocity," means a regard for the role of personal advancement (Bornstein, 1988).Thus, it is true to say that as human act in their natural conditions they do so in accordance to their innate needs to have self satisfaction avoiding retribution in the course and to foster their long term associations with other members of the society (Kohlberg, 1974). Roy Baumeister How can the nature and definition of morality be established? Morality is the set of rules to enable people to live together. It serves the role of making the culture work, as culture depends on cooperating with one another, as there is trust and shared postulations. In conditions of trying to comprehend human temperament and morality, nature and culture certainly merge to do this. Rather, nature made us for culture. I'm convinced that the peculiar human aspects of psychology and the human aspects of evolution were alterations to enable us to have this new and better kind of social life, namely culture (Held, 2005). How does morality manifest itself in everyday life? Laws standardize behavior the same ways morality does. They stipulate a lot of similar things, limiting self-interest to do what is better for the group so that the system will operate effectively. Why people have to do moral things in observation is because of concern with their status and it is based, therefore, on long-term associations. Morality depends on relations and is there to police interpersonal behavior so that people cooperate in order for the system to function (Mackie, 1977). The role of meaning and values in different stages of life As society got bigger, more composite and moved to stranger interactions, laws have had to step in to take their place as one can cheat an unfamiliar person whom you'll not interact with again, and get away with it (Bornstein, 1988). Morality depends on relationships, and helps to standardize interpersonal behavior so that the group collaborates so that the system can function (Mackie, 1977). Sigmund Freud What composes morality? The super-ego is the ethical component of the psyche that captures no special circumstance in which the morally right thing may not be right for a given situation. The rational ego attempts to exact a balance between the unfeasible hedonism of the identity and the equally unreasonable morality of the super-ego. It is the part of the psyche that is usually reflected most directly in a person's actions (Rest, 1986). When overstrained by its tasks, it may utilize defense mechanisms including denial, repression and displacement. This thought is usually symbolized by the "Iceberg Model". This mold signifies the functions that the identity, ego, and Super Ego play in relation to conscious and unconscious notion (Freud, 1949). What is the nature of morality? On the contrary front, the ego gets itself trying to appease and mediate the needs of the identity. It rests on a central ground between the identity and the outside environment, trying to make the identity conform to societal rules while trying to make the world match its innermost wants. This task falls on the ego because it is the only component of the mind capable of exercising direct power over the actions of the body (Haan, 1968). The relationship of the ego to the identity is, at the same moment, a reciprocally favorable one and a submissive one: “The ego is not only the ally of the identity; it is also a submissive slave who courts the love of his master.” (Freud, 1949) How is morality affected by psychological conditions? In early childhood, prior to the Oedipus complex, an individual forms an important recognition with the father. This recognition is later complicated by the object-cathex that forms as a result of the mother’s breast. The mind-set toward the father in that case develops into ambivalence, for the fatherly figure is simultaneously identified with, yet perceived as an obstacle. Later, the entire twin natured complex is taken inwardly, structuring a new part of his ego which has the same moral authority that a parent might have (Makari, 2008). This appears straightforward enough, but if the super-ego appears as a father figure, then we cannot overlook the dual nature of the Oedipal father (Freud, 1949). Drawing a conclusion from the psychologists’ perspectives, it is true that morality is an issue that has and will continue to brew a lot of controversy as it is among the sensitive topics in the society accepted universally to define human behavior and cooperation. Even if there are no agreeable general principles of determining morality, there are few general standards of morality in all societies. The definition of morality seems to be assigned equal value in all these perspectives and the developmental procedures of morals in the human mind seem to be having fewer variations across the global societies. References Bornstein, M., & Lamb, M. (Ed.). (1988). Developmental psychology: An advanced textbook. 2nd ed. Hillsdale, NJ, England: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc. (pp. 497-548). Freud, S. (1949). The Ego and the Id. London: The Hogarth Press Ltd. Haan, N., Smith, M., & Block, J. (1968). Moral reasoning of young adults: Political-social behavior, family background, and personality correlate. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 10(3): pp 183-201. Hedl, J., Glazer, H., & Chan, F. (2005). Improving the moral reasoning of allied health students. Journal of Allied Health, 34 (2): pp121–122. Kohlberg, L. (1974). Education, moral development and faith. Journal of Moral Education 4 (1): pp. 5–16. Kohlberg, L. (1981). Moral stages and the idea of justice. Essays on moral development: the philosophy of moral development, San Francisco: Harper & Row. Pp 11-33. Mackie, J. L. (1977). There are no objective values." Ethics: Inventing Right and Wrong. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Pp. 15. Makari, G. (2008). Revolution in mind: the creation of psychoanalysis. Carlton: Melbourne University Publishing. pp. 130–131. Rest, J. (1986). Moral development: Advances in research and theory. New York. Praeger. Pp 477- 531. Walker, L. (1989). A longitudinal study of moral reasoning. Child development, 60(1). Pp157-166. Read More